Staff Sgt. Raine Ruthie, left, and Sgt. Patricia Moreno, members of Team Lioness, a group of women who participate in joint military operations and raids with U.S. Marines, in PBS documentary Lioness.

By Gary Strauss, USA TODAY

There's a poignant moment in PBS documentary Lioness (Thursday, 9 ET/PT, times may vary) in which several current and former Army soldiers watch a TV report about a bloody Iraqi battle between U.S. forces and insurgents that they themselves fought in.

Not an uncommon occurrence, given news coverage of the conflict and the thousands of soldiers and Marines who have served in the besieged country. But in this case, the firefights show only men fighting. And the viewers — all women — were combatants as well.

Though government policy prohibits women from fighting in ground combat, the reality is that many have, after being caught in unexpected skirmishes. Lioness looks at five women from an Army engineer battalion who were drawn into battle and the fallout from their experiences.

The five were among 20 women who volunteered to help defuse tensions among Iraqi civilians, particularly on house-to-house searches and intelligence-gathering missions.

Much of Lioness focuses on Shannon Morgan, an Army mechanic who volunteered for missions dubbed "bug hunts." Four years later, she still suffers the trauma of ensuing firefights, including a harrowing battle while attached to a Marine combat patrol.

"This may come as a shock to America, but we went on lots of missions," says Morgan, now living in Oklahoma and struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder. "But if our government is going to allow us to play infantry, they should start training us for it. We pretty much wing it."

Lioness was directed by Meg McLagan and Daria Sommers, who became interested in women's roles in the war given events such as Army Pvt. Jessica Lynch's capture at Nasiriyah in 2003.

"The film started with a question: 'What's going on here?' " McLagan says. "We felt this historic shift was going on with the contributions women were making, and once we started contacting people, we came to this story."

The directors insist Lioness takes no stand at women in ground combat, but the pair suggest women should receive the same tactical training as men if they're going to face combat situations.

To report corrections and clarifications, contact Reader Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification.

Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more.